Colouring the Invisible

By Julia Vogl

This large scale installation covers 150 windows of an interior atrium to reflect on the languages spoken by users of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies.

This ambitious work, which uses over 75 meters of multi coloured translucent vinyl, is a reflection of the fluent languages known by the users of SSEES and a response to their architectural space. The project entailed the engagement of at least 300 people, staff, students and users of the building, whose answers to the question: WHAT LANGUAGE(S) ARE YOU FLUENT IN? dictated the design of the work. Each language was assigned with a colour and the windows were coated proportionally to the languages known. The work makes language visible and fosters a debate on language as identity, while transforming a space into a visual memorable event.

"COLOURING THE INVISIBLE" draws on Julia Voglʼs multicultural background and that of the SSEES community. Each colour used in this public art project reflects the languages of the faculty and student body. Political, historical and geographical definitions of citizenship only start to tell the story of who you are and where you come from. Language, however, moves with you when you emigrate; it is the common ground between people who feel confused about national identity; it reflects and illuminates, as does this work of art, how identity is not only shaped by history, geography and ethnicity, but compellingly by communication.

Julia Vogl is a postgraduate sculpture student at the Slade School of Fine Art at UCL. Her work negotiates site specificity, community and colour to create experiences and memories. American and British, with German, Czech and Polish ancestry, her public works include an installation as part of the Heals Bicentential Artist in Residence show in February 2010; "Leaves of Fort Green" in Brooklyn New York in summer 2009, sponsored by the Brooklyn Arts Council, "The Library Project" in 2007 at Oberlin College,Ohio.

Julia Vogl will be available to discuss the project at SSEES on November 2nd 4PM -7PMm and November 3rd 10AM- 1PM. Also at these times commemorative limited edition silkscreened posters will be for sale in the SSEES lobby.

For a video and interview with the artist, see here.

More information: www.juliavogl.com